Dmitry Bivol desperately needed a fight. The 2023 calendar was just about over with and the WBA titleholder didn’t have anything planned.
As the months went by, it appeared more and more likely that Bivol would remain on the shelf. But, seemingly out of nowhere, he was given an arbitrary phone call, telling him to get himself ready by December.
There was no time to question things, Bivol simply knew that he was being thrown into the ring with Lyndon Arthur. In short order, Bivol, who remains in the gym at all times, got himself in fighting shape and proceeded to hand Arthur a beatdown. Once his hand was raised in victory, the 33-year-old was also given the IBO title.
Although it’s viewed as a secondary trinket, Bivol needed to add something to his lonely WBA belt. Now, with Arthur out of the way, Bivol can move on to more pressing matters.
Artur Beterbiev currently holds the WBC, IBF, and WBO titles. For countless years, both have barked at one another, hoping and praying for an undisputed clash. Before anything becomes solidified, Beterbiev has to knock Callum Smith’s head into the third row on January 13th.
Bivol won’t make the trip to Quebec but he fully plans on watching from his palatial estate at home. Picking a winner isn’t an easy task for him. But also, it’s irrelevant. To Bivol, he couldn’t care less who actually picks up the victory. The sole focus is primarily on the titles.
To a certain extent, Bivol looks at the sport of boxing like a game. We’ve all picked up a remote controller and engaged in countless hours of mindless gaming. Once you’ve mastered it, you eventually reach the end. For Bivol, that’s how he envisions a victory over Beterbiev. Simply put, once every world title is sitting safely on his championship mantle, there will be nothing left to do.
“If I get all the belts, mission is done,” Bivol told Matchroom Boxing. “I achieved what I wanted.”